Do you realize how many pictures I have of this bird “passing” by? A bunch! Tonight I sat at the bird refuge for about two hours. I am hoping that patience will get me an opportunity to photograph this guy flying directly at me. Tonight I made two obvious mistakes. The biggest? I forgot my two long lenses. Makes of a real dumb and unprepared photographer. Instead of getting the book Photography for Dummies, maybe I should just get a huge button that says “Dummy Photographer”! The second mistake? I didn’t lock the gate behind me. I may have forgotten my long lenses but at least I didn’t forget to bring my brain.

Most of the photography at the refuge is done from the car (car-tography). If you exit your car the subjects will run, fly or swim away. While photographing the Kestral a car pulled up to mine. And out comes Mr. Photogrtapher with camera in hand…..and off goes the bird! Sure a few poses of the Kestral made it to my compact flash card. I just wanted to get a pic’ of him in flight. The killer? The guy walked up to my car and asked “did ya get any shots of that bird”? Deep breath Jim, deep breath. I wanted to say “not now”. but instead I said “what bird’? Sometimes I can be real nasty!